Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine
Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine
Veterinary rehabilitation therapy is a new and exciting field in which human physical therapy techniques are adapted to treat animals with debilitating and painful musculoskeletal and neurological conditions.
Dr. Tricia Munroe, cVMA, CCRT, completed a rigorous training course and certification in canine rehabilitation therapy and sports medicine in 2016. She uses her training to evaluate our patients with orthopedic and neurological conditions. She then prescribes and implements an individualized treatment plan to increase muscle strength, joint flexibility, and balance while decreasing pain. Dr. Munroe also completed training and certification in acupuncture.
Treatment Plans May Include:
Laser Therapy
Dr. Munroe educates owners about their pets’ condition and what they can do at home to help their pets, such as home exercise programs. She can also suggest home adaptations and tools that may be useful to help a pet move more comfortably and confidently.
As one of only 17 veterinarians with CCRT certification in Washington, Dr. Munroe is seeing an increasing number of patients for rehab therapy and accepts referral patients from other veterinary clinics for patients who would benefit from rehab therapy.
Laser Therapy
Laser therapy is a comfortable, drug-free, non-invasive therapy used to successfully treat a variety of painful pet conditions.
Laser therapy speeds healing and enhances comfort for chronic issues, such as arthritis and some neurologic conditions, as well as acute injuries, such as wounds, dental extractions, incisions, and broken bones. In the hands of trained veterinary acupuncturists, therapeutic lasers can also be used to perform laser acupuncture therapy.
While a relatively new therapy, laser technology has significantly improved in recent years from the older, less powerful “cold lasers” to the newest and most effective Class IV Therapeutic Lasers, such as our Companion Laser.
Laser Therapy FAQs
What does laser therapy feel like?
During laser therapy, patients feel a soothing warmth during the treatment and typically relax and enjoy the session. Areas of inflammation may briefly feel sensitive to the touch before pain reduction occurs. Therapy sessions usually last 10-20 minutes, depending upon the number of body sites treated and the animal’s size.
How often should a patient be treated?
Acute conditions can be treated daily, particularly in cases of severe pain. Chronic problems (arthritis, some skin conditions) may respond better with treatments 2-3 times weekly, tapering down to once every 2-4 weeks or as needed.
How long before results are seen?
While some patients experience significant pain reduction after the first visit, improvement is usually seen by the third or fourth session, and the benefits of treatments are cumulative. Acute conditions often improve quickly, while chronic conditions (such as arthritis) may require ongoing treatment to achieve and maintain ideal results.
We offer both single and discounted packages of laser therapy.
Rehab Forms
So our staff may prepare for your pet’s appointments, please complete and submit the appropriate online form(s) at least 30 minutes before your pet’s scheduled appointment time. Click here for a full list of client forms.